At SAS, we recognize and appreciate the valuable skills and experience that veterans, active military and military families bring to our workforce. We honor the service of military families, and actively support our employees in their transition from the military to the civilian corporate work environment.

Our own Dan Schaub is a testament to the value that veterans bring to our company. Today, he’s sharing his story about how his time in the military translated into a meaningful career at SAS!

A career rooted in service

I grew up in West Orange, New Jersey, and spent most of my weekends farming on my family’s organic Christmas tree farm, Stehli Trees, in Vernon, New Jersey. After graduating high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life – but I knew I didn’t want it to be average.

After volunteering as a firefighter and EMT, I joined the Air Force. I worked in Aircraft Structural Maintenance and was later transferred to the Security Forces unit due to a personnel shortage. There I learned a whole new set of skills, worked with K-9s and enjoyed interacting with the base community. During my six years of military service, I deployed to Afghanistan and had the opportunity to travel the world.  In my spare time, I took classes towards my bachelor’s degree. I feel fortunate to have been able to serve my country while learning and developing valuable skills.

I’m grateful that I didn’t have to do this alone – I married my amazing wife, Crystal, in 2008. She’s been a huge support, my best friend, and pillar throughout our 11 years of marriage.

A new mission

In 2014, I ended what I thought was going to be a lifelong military career due to a back injury.  Post-military, I wasn’t sure what direction I wanted my career to take – I dabbled in the automotive industry and continued to take classes towards my bachelor’s degree. Through my work with an automotive startup, I found myself falling in love with solving business problems and exploring new ways to grow a business. I ended up becoming good friends with fellow car enthusiasts, Ras and Chelsea Nielson, who both work at SAS. They invited me to lunch at SAS’ HQ Campus, and I was in awe of SAS’ powerful analytics, mission and beautiful campus.

From combat to career

As I neared the completion of my bachelor’s degree, I began searching for a new, meaningful career. During my search, I came across a SAS summer internship opportunity for military students and spouses that sounded like a great fit. I ended up interviewing with SAS and was offered (and accepted) a business development internship with SAS’ Global Hosting and US Professional Services (GHUSPS) division.

My internship experience at SAS was nothing short of amazing. I was passionate about the work I was doing, and my curiosity was valued. My manager gave me challenging projects, and I was able to leverage the skills I learned in school and from my time in the military. I was also connected with a military mentor, Tom Caswell, from SAS’ VETS Military Network. He was always there to answer my questions, further my technical learning and support me in my career development. At the end of the summer, I was converted to a year-round intern at SAS and was also accepted to NC State’s Jenkins MBA program, where I’m currently pursing my master’s degree!

SAS Military Network

I’m now working full-time at SAS as an Associate Program Manager in GHUSPS, the same division I interned in. In this role, I’ve been able to work on the Military Veteran Platform Package, a solution that helps states identify veterans living in their communities so they can better communicate the benefits to which those veterans are entitled. How great is that?! I love getting to work on a product that supports a cause I’m passionate about, and I’m excited to see how this package transforms the lives of veterans around the country.

I’ve also become involved with the SAS Military Network, one of SAS’ employee inclusion groups, or VETS, for short. It’s been a great way to get connected at SAS, and I instantly felt at home with the community of veterans, active military, military families, and supporters. From engaging with our local VA to teaching the children of military families about STEM, VETS plays an important role in supporting the military community, both inside and outside of SAS.

I’ve recently been able to help lead the group and drive some new outreach events, and I’m excited for the future of the group!

Backed by SAS

It’s important for companies to hire veterans. They bring unique skills and experiences to the table and are valuable team players. They have great analytical and problem-solving skills and provide a different perspective on problems and solutions. I’m proud to be part of a company that supports our veterans not only though targeted recruitment and hiring, but also though our powerful analytics.

I’m proud to be part of a company that supports our veterans not only though targeted recruitment and hiring, but also though our powerful analytics.

I didn’t know where I’d end up when I was weighing my career options, but I’m thankful I ended up at SAS – it’s been anything but average.

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Thanks, Dan, for sharing your story! Curious about how we support the military community? Check out our webpage.